Hope
by mateguy3
Summary: Kaneki and Eto meet at RE after the events of chapter 56, what would happen?
1. Start of Everything

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul or any of its characters.**

 **Hope**

"Welcome to RE!" That is what Kaneki heard when he entered. He didn't need to look in order to know who it was; Touka. He heard her small gasp at the end. The tremor in her voice when she saw him. It has always been like this since he became Haise Sasaki. But when he was Haise and didn't have his memories, he felt confused and a little bit worried. Back then he didn't know why she was acting so oddly every time he set foot in this cafe; Now he knows.

He decided to forget about Touka and look around the cafe to see who else was here. He didn't know why he came here in the first place, he just had a feeling that something of great importance will happen.

The cafe seemed pretty empty, except one person who was with their back to him. As he stared at the back of the person, he got a feeling of familiarity. As the person turned around, he could see who it was.

Takatsuki Sen.

Maybe he would have been happy and embarrassed if he didn't know who she really is. If he was the person before he became a ghoul. If he was the person who didn't 'change' the memories about his mother. But he is not that person anymore.

"Ohhhh~ Who do we have here?" She spoke in her usual playful voice. He didn't detect any surprise in her voice. It's as if she was expecting him. He narrowed his eyes at that thought.

"What are you doing here?" He spoke with a stern voice. He would not beat around the bush with pleasantries and other stuff. He didn't care that Touka was listening, he wanted to know why she was here. The faster, the better.

"What's with that greeting, hmmmm~?" She said with a smile on her face. He's about to snap, he can feel it. It would have probably happened if they were in a more secluded place. He decided to take a few breaths and try to calm down, then attempt to speak.

"Stop beating around the bush, Sen. What are you doing here?" He saw the smile fall off her face, being replaced by a frown.

"If you won't act properly, at least be a dear and turn the sign." She spoke, this time with a serious voice. He did just that then started moving towards the empty seat that is at her table. After sitting on the chair he decided to start talking, or rather, asking.

"So?"

"Hmmm~?" He saw her pick up the cup of coffee that was on the table, moving it towards her mouth. As she was drinking from the cup of coffee, he saw the corner of her mouth rise up a little bit. That's it, he is waiting for answers and all she does is smirk while drinking coffee. He was about to punch the table because of his impatience, but he saw her bring the cup of coffee down on the table. After licking her lips to presumably wipe off the drops of coffee, she finally spoke.

"I was expecting you, Ken." For a second, he was surprised, nobody ever called him by his first name. Not Touka. Not Hide. And most importantly not his mother. It felt nice to be called 'Ken', even by her. But he knows that she is certainly not doing this because of kindness. She wants to manipulate him, to make him her toy... Right?

"I thought so. You weren't surprised at all when you saw me, Eto." He decided to honor her by using her real name. He then looked into her eyes to maybe find out her intentions regarding him. He saw nothing in those eyes. But he knows that wherever she is, something bad will probably happen.

She smiled when she heard her name being said by him. It felt surprisingly nice. But she is here because of more important matters.

"Have you ever heard of V?" She noticed how he stopped breathing, even if it was for a fraction of a second. She saw him narrow his eyes. He knows about it, but does he know that V is controlling the CCG? That aside, she is curious from who has he heard of V. She has a guess, but she is not sure.

"Yes, I heard of V." He knows she wants to know something else. Maybe from who he got word of its existence, or maybe something else entirely? He decided to go with the former and see how she will react.

"Yoshimura told me about its existence, by the way... Isn't that also your last name?" Her suspicions were correct, it was her father who told him. But did he expect to get a reaction from her by playing dumb? No matter, she would say the truth about V and see his reaction.

"Now Ken... Did you know that V is controlling CCG?" She quirked her lips after she finished talking. He widened his eyes and his breathing stopped, this time for longer. V is controlling CCG? But... What could their goal be? He knows that she must be aware of what V is trying to achieve, but that doesn't mean she will say it. And it also doesn't mean what she is saying is actually true.

"If what you say is true..." He got interrupted by her.

"Did I ever lie to you, Ken?" He widened his eyes. She never lied to him, she might have withheld some pieces of information from him, but she never lied to him. Not like other people did. Why would she start now? She wouldn't, probably.

"No, you didn't..." She smiled at that.

"See, I never lied to you and I never will..." She said in a sweet and caring voice. Didn't he want someone to care about him, didn't he want to feel understood, loved.

Loved...

 _"I've grown so found of you... We're totally the same!"_

 _"I love you~"_

If she never lied to him, did she really mean what she said?

He suddenly stood up from his chair. He knows that he might regret this later, she would make sure about that. But he doesn't care. He slowly walked towards the other side of the table, towards her.

He remembered something Yoshimura had said.

 _"...One day, you could save my daughter as well."_ He remembered something he had said to her.

 _"Why do I have to save trash like you?"_ He now regrets ever saying that. How could he have felt if someone ever said that to him? He knows that if he was in her shoes he would have become like her. Exactly like her.

 _"Someone who feels great amounts of sorrow and despair, someone who harbors great rage towards the world."_ He would have been broken. Like she is.

As he gets closer, he knows that Touka is probably watching. She would probably call him an idiot and try to kill him after doing this, but he doesn't care. He looks at Touka from the corner of his eyes and gives a bittersweet smile. Touka would never understand him, not like Eto does.

He finds himself in front of Eto, who is still sitting on the chair and looking at him curiously. He might have said 'I love you', but he knows words have no effect on her. Actions probably will.

He places both his hands on her shoulders and looks into her eyes, she still has no idea what he would do. He brings his face closer to hers and kisses her. V, forgotten. He didn't close his eyes, he needs to make sure that she sees what he is feeling trough his eyes. She didn't respond to the kiss, probably because of shock. He doesn't mind.

Suddenly, he brings an end to the kiss. He takes his hands of her shoulders and places them in his pockets.

As he is walking towards the exit, he thinks that she didn't need to respond to the kiss. Her eyes said everything.

He would save her.


	2. Interlude: Touka

**Interlude: Touka**

Touka was, for lack of a better word, shocked. When she heard the door open and said the customary: "Welcome to :RE:", she expected just another customer, not _him_ , not Kaneki; or Haise as he has been called lately.

She saw him glancing for a moment, and then quickly looking around, most likely to see if any tables were occupied.

She glanced at the seated woman, Takatsuki Sen, and then she realized, didn't Kaneki used to read books by that same author, back when Anteiku was still standing, back before Aogiri. A thought popped in her head; Would Haise read the same books? Would he remember anything by reading said books? Would he remember Anteiku? Would he remember her?

She hoped so, at least. She truly wanted him to remember her, maybe she could give those books as a present? Who knows, it might help. She then heard Takatsuki's voice:

"Ohhhh~ Who do we have here?"

From then on, her perception of him —no, both of them— changed.

After she heard the bell sound —usually signaling when someone enters or leaves the cafe— she snapped out of her trance.

She couldn't believe this, _hell_ ,she couldn't believe of anything that happened moments ago.

Takatsuki Sen, _no_ , Eto Yoshimura was staring at her, she didn't know what to make of this...

"Are you really...?" Touka whispered, could Eto really be the manager's daughter? If so, how come she has never heard of her?

"Oh~?"

Touka gulped, that stare made her uncomfortable, she felt like a piece of meat, ready to be eaten by a ghoul. But more imlortantly, she needs to know, maybe the manager might still be alive!

"Are you really... Yoshimura's daughter?"

Eto smiled, _no_ , more like smirked.

"Yes, I am."

Touka's breathing grew ragged, she couldn't believe it, the manager actually has a daughter, most unbelievable...

"Where were you all this time then?" Touka managed to ask.

"Here and there..." Eto smiled, not a normal smile, but a twisted smile.

Touka's anger increased, the audacity! How could she act this uncaring? How—

"Oh my, it seems I have an appointment, let's continue this another time, shall we?" Eto stood up from her seat, smiled, and then left.

Anger forgotten, Touka shuddered, Eto's smiles aren't normal, and most of all, Eto has secrets, many of them, just like Kaneki. After that conversation between Eto and Kaneki, she doesn't know what to think...

What or who is V?

Why did Kaneki even...

Touka shook her head, so many questions and no answers. At least Kaneki is back, albeit little different. She smiled at that, the others need to know too...

One day, she will have her answers, for now, she is quite content knowing Kaneki is back.

Although she can't scratch the feeling that something will happen soon...

 **PS: I am alive, worst thing written by far.**


End file.
